1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game board and particularly, but not exclusively, to a game board for playing tic-tac-toe.
2. State of the Art
Tic-tac-toe, also known as noughts-and-crosses and hugs-and-kisses, is a game traditionally played on paper between two players, wherein one player aims to place three X's in a straight line on a 3×3 grid while the other player attempts to place three O's in a straight line on the same grid.
Variations to the game comprise the use of a game board wherein the board comprises a pre-printed 3×3 grid onto which the players place white and black chequers, for example, as apposed to writing O's and X's. Alternatively, the board may comprise a series of depressions arranged in a 3×3 grid format for holding black and white marbles, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,699 discloses a game board for playing poker or bingo and even tic-tac-toe. The board comprises a substantially planar surface with a series of 25 depressions formed therein, arranged to a substantially square 5×5 grid. The board further comprises an impact transfer device for launching marbles, or similar, onto of the board. The board comprises a peripherally extending trough for capturing the marbles if they pass over the edge of the playing surface. However, it has been found that the trough only captures slowly moving marbles; quickly moving marbles are found to simply pass over the trough and are thus easily lost.